Chapter 381: Cooperation Under Coercion

Wu Ci'an sat blankly in the Baokang county government office. Outside, there were loud shouts and fighting sounds. He never thought that at this time of year, when the Huns were already in decline, the Baokang county would turn out to be was broken by them.

Everything was irreversible. When the turmoil started at the North Gate, he sent someone to invite Zheng Shuang, but he was dumbfounded by the news that Zheng Shuang was assassinated. He didn't understand how Zheng Shuang, who was a general, was assassinated in a heavily guarded home, but this was no longer important. Zheng Shuang's death made the Hejian County soldiers in the city completely headless and lost their effectiveness. They will become the targets of massacre by the Huns cavalry.

Wu Gang went to the North Gate under his order, and now he has completely lost contact. He doesn't know if Wu Gang is still alive, but it doesn't matter. He just has endless sorrow in his heart. He has worked hard and maintained Baokang County for many years. , It will become a thousand miles of red ground.

He knew the style of the Huns. Wherever they went, no chickens or dogs were left behind, all property and food were robbed, people, except those who were killed, were looted, and houses would be reduced to ashes in a fire.

Thinking about it now, everything was premeditated. First, a traitor pretended to be a refugee and sneaked into the city, assassinated Zheng Shuang, and earned the North Gate, while the opponent's brigade hid not far from Baokang City. The heavy snow and severe cold weather helped these people hide their whereabouts Well, the two missing county soldiers have already fallen into their hands presumably.

It has been a long time since the other party's idea of ​​playing Baokang County, and only then has such a perfect arrangement, it's ridiculous that I still don't know anything about it. No, you can't blame yourself, Zheng Shuang, the bastard. As the general of Hejian County, responsible for Baokang's safety, not only did he do nothing, but in the end, he even lost his own life inexplicably.

That kind of people. It is not a pity to die.

pity. I am going to die soon. The other officials and scribes in the yamen, as well as the yamen servants who didn't follow Wu Gang out, have already dispersed at this moment. The tree fell and the monkeys scattered, Wu Ci'an smiled wryly, whatever, I hope they can escape with their lives. In any case, it was because I was not a good county magistrate that the Huns had a chance to take advantage of it. However, with the style of the Huns, can they escape?

The county government must be the focus of the opponent's attack, Wu Ci'an knew this well. As the supreme leader of Baokang, he decided to die in this place. As for his wife and children at home, he sighed. Under the overturned nest, how can there be any eggs?

There was a violent knock on the door outside, Wu Ci'an's heart was shocked, finally it was coming, he quietly pulled out a short knife from his arms, and pressed it between his chest and abdomen, the reason why he didn't commit suicide was really because he There are too many doubts in my heart, where did these Huns come from? Given the current situation of the Huns, how could they gather their troops to attack Dayan County blatantly? He wanted to figure it out.

If you die, you have to be a ghost.

With a bang, the door was knocked open, and the sound of chaotic footsteps came all the way, and they went straight to the lobby. Wu Ci'an straightened his body and made himself sit as dignified as possible. He is an official of Dayan, so he must be different from these barbarians. .

The hall of the county government office is very large, but the lights are very dim. The silence on both sides, the avoidance, and the big sticks of water and fire are all submerged in the darkness at this moment. Wu Ci'an sat upright behind the big case alone, his eyes fixed on the door.

A person appeared in front of the gate, and behind him, two rows of soldiers rushed in, and the hall was checked upside down by these soldiers in an instant. It was a young general, holding the saber at his waist, walking steadily towards Wu Ci'an.

Seeing this man's appearance, Wu Ci'an was taken aback, because this was not a Huns, but a Central Plains man, and among the soldiers who came in to search just now, they were all Central Plains men, and stayed in Baokang For so many years, he could tell the difference between the Huns and the Central Plains people at a glance.

"Master Wu, County Magistrate Wu?" The young general looked at Wu Ci'an, first frowned, and then a smile appeared on his face, and he bowed his hands in a very polite salute.

Wu Ci'an looked at him in shock, "You are not a Hun, who are you, who are you?"

The young general smiled, "Magistrate Wu, before I answer your question, can you take the knife away from your chest? I think we need to have a good talk?"

Wu Ci'an's body shook, "How do you know I have a knife in my hand?"

The young general smiled and said: "The posture of County Magistrate Wu told me, County Magistrate Wu, although the festival of death is admirable, but if you let go like this and leave the life and death of the people in this city, it will be a shame. Doesn't it go against your beliefs?"

"The Huns have already entered the city. How can the people in this city survive? What can we talk about?" Wu Ci'an sighed and said, "You are from the Central Plains, but you never thought that you would work for the Huns. Although you broke Baokang City , but it won't be long before the master of Hejian County, Lord Yan, will definitely send troops into the grassland immediately to find and destroy you."

The young general laughed, "Yan Shenghao? Let's not talk about him, County Magistrate Wu, if you die, the people in this city may suffer, and we have to move them away, but if you are still alive and cooperate with us If so, then, I can assure you that our general will not commit any crimes!"

Wu Ci'an blinked his eyes and looked at him, as if he didn't hear the other person's words clearly, and the other party didn't push him, just looked at him with a smile. It took a long time for Wu Ci'an to realize, "Do you think I'm such an easy fool? The Huns What is it, I have been in Baokang for more than ten years, how can I not understand the truth?"

"You also said just now that I don't look like a Hun, so we naturally act differently." The young general laughed. "So, you'd better live. Now, can you take the knife down?"

Staring at the young general with both eyes, Wu Ci'an thought for a moment, and finally put the knife on his chest gently on the table in front of him, but it was within reach.

"Very well, County Magistrate Wu, we have made a good start. Let me introduce myself first, I am Tang Ming." The young general smiled.

"who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who we are. At present, our banner is the Gongsun tribe of the Xiongnu. It is enough for adults to know that." Tang Ming said with a smile: "The first thing the county magistrate needs to do now is to write a notice to calm the people. The big seal of the Shang County Government and your private seal, at dawn. I hope that such notices will be posted all over the city and sent to the lower villages of Baokang County."

"An Min Announcement?" Wu Ci'an didn't know, when did the Huns write the Ann Min Notice?

"Yes, Anmin's Announcement, Mr. Wu is famous in Baokang County. There is your Anmin Announcement. I think Baokang can restore calm in the shortest possible time!" Tang Ming said.

Wu Ci'an suddenly reflected what the other party wanted to do. He stared at each other dumbfounded, "You, you actually want to occupy Baokang for a long time?"

"Master Wu is right, starting from today. Baokang is our territory, and you, County Magistrate Wu, will still be the magistrate of Baokang!" Tang Ming said with a smile, "There are people like County Magistrate Wu I just helped, and I believe that Baokang will get better soon."

"Don't even think about it!" Wu Ci'an jumped up, "It's just a dream to want me to work for you barbarians."

Tang Ming's expression remained unchanged. "It's not for us, but for tens of thousands of people in Baokang. Magistrate Wu, the lives and property of these tens of thousands of people are all in your hands. If you cooperate, they will be safe and sound. If you refuse, then I can't guarantee it."

Wu Ci'an fell heavily and sat back. These people wanted to kidnap the people and co-operate with him, but could he refuse? If he refused, God knows what these barbarians who have no etiquette and discipline will do?

Outside the county government office, the shouts of killing continued. It was the Fufeng army entering the city fighting with the Hejian County soldiers who were stubbornly resisting in the corner. However, this was no longer important to Tang Ming. will be wiped out.

Footsteps were heard outside again, and a group of heavily armed soldiers walked in dejectedly. Seeing these people, Wu Ci'an opened his mouth wide open. These people are all his county government officials, government officials, and fast arresters.

"Master Wu, these people are all subordinate officials of your county government? Now I have sent them all over to you. I think you can start working now. After you write the Anmin Notice, you still need someone to copy it. Dozens of copies have come out, this is a lot of work! We hope that the county government can complete this work by dawn." Tang Ming clapped his hands, and the soldiers retreated, leaving a group of panicked officials behind The middle.

"Master Wu, from now on, the safety of the entire county government will be taken over by us, and your safety will also be taken care of by us." Tang Ming shook his head slightly, and two soldiers walked straight behind Wu Ci'an with their hands on their waist knives.

Tang Ming smiled and bowed to Wu Ci'an, turned around and strode out. A small number of soldiers stood still, but most of them followed Tang Ming and walked out. When they reached the door, Tang Ming suddenly turned his head. Dao, said: "By the way, I forgot to tell you one thing. We have sent soldiers to garrison your house to protect it, so as not to accidentally injure you. So Mr. Wu can do things with peace of mind and don't have to worry about his family."

Watching Tang Ming disappear, Wu Ci'an was stunned. After a long while, he looked at the group of officials who escaped and were captured, and asked, "What's going on outside?"

Baokang Master Bo was ashamed, he had abandoned the county magistrate before and fled, but now he was detained again, it seems that he was not beheaded by these people because of the county magistrate Wu's face." My lord, Hejian All the county soldiers have collapsed, the four city gates have been occupied, the whole of Baokang has been sealed up by them, a small part of the remaining Hejian County soldiers are still resisting, and most of them have surrendered."

"I'm not asking about this, I'm asking about the common people in the city!" Wu Ci'an roared.

"It's strange to say that the Huns who came in this time did not loot. They were just looking for soldiers from Hejian County, and they also attacked military camps, mansion warehouses and other places, but they didn't break into the homes of the people." Master Bo himself was full face surprised.

Wu Ci'an was still in doubt, looked at the panic-stricken subordinates, and sighed, "Okay, you can rest assured, since this is the case, your family members will not be in any danger."

"My lord, what about Anmin's notice?" Master Bo asked in a low voice.

"What else? I'll write it, and then, you guys will copy it!" Wu Ci'an said sadly.

"My lord, in this way, if these Huns retreat in the future, you will be blamed for colluding with them!" Master Bo reminded cautiously.

"I know." Wu Ci'an glared at him, "But if I don't write, the city will panic, and God knows what these barbarians will do. Compared with my little reputation, the lives of the people in this city are more important of."